The Suffolk Folk Festival History

Sponsored and organised by TRADITION magazine
In association with Woodbridge Town Centre Co-ordinator

Having moved to Suffolk in 1999 and joined a local Morris side we soon realised that most of the festivals we visited were in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Kent. We thought it would be good to have a festival in Suffolk and so in 2004 we arranged a day of Morris dancing in Woodbridge.

It was very successful and so we decided to have a stab at something a bit bigger and so 'The Suffolk Folk Festival' was born. It may seem to be a grand title for a fairly small event but we are hoping to expand gradually.

4th - 5th June 2005

On Saturday 4th June we had 20 teams of Morris dancers, Rapper sword, and Appalachian Clog dancing along Woodbridge Thoroughfare, outside the Anchor and on the Quay. The crowds were also entertained with dancing at the Beer Festival on Market Hill. There was a lunchtime concert in the Bell and Steelyard with Kundalini Drive. The weather was relatively kind with a few showers and a couple of heavy downpours which temporarily stopped dancing, but the sun came out again and the dancing continued.

The evening Ceilidh with Gordon Potts and Chalktown was a sell out. Sunday the dancing continued, and finished off with mass dancing on the Quay.

2nd - 4th June 2006

The 2006 Festival saw 31Teams of Morris dancers, Rapper sword and Appalachian Clog at various locations around Woodbridge. Despite some last minute changes to the programme (for reasons which were beyond our control) There was a beer festival at the Cherry Tree Pub, a couple of folk sessions in pubs and the addition of a concert on the Sunday in Elmhurst Park.

Once again the Ceilidh with Aarkvark was very well attended in the Dome at Woodbridge School, and we managed to provide camping for performers.

We would like to thank everyone who took part - dancers, musicians, and Marion Wells, The Woodbridge Town Co-ordinator who helped to make the whole thing possible. It was good to have so many positive comments from performers over the two days!

For more details please contact:

Paul Salmon, 9 Burwash, Witnesham, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP6 9EL, UK
Email: paul@salmonp56.fsnet.co.uk
Tel: 01473 785180